


Selkies!

by There_Once_Was_A_Girl



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic), Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe- Selkies, Crossover, Fluff, Friendship, I think that's fairly evident given what is going on here, M/M, Selkie!Bitty, a bit of crack, selkie!Stiles, selkie!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-02-14 12:05:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13007403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/There_Once_Was_A_Girl/pseuds/There_Once_Was_A_Girl
Summary: Eric Bittle is a selkie at Samwell University. He happens to run into another selkie by the name of Stiles Stilinski one day. He quickly becomes friends with Stiles and his pack, the only problem is that the McCall pack is almost all on the lacrosse team at Samwell.This is one of my fics for the Fandom Loves Puerto Rico Charity Auction!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LaughingCat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaughingCat/gifts).



> Our friendly selkies meet!

Eric was always careful. He had to be, his whole family did. When you had secrets like the Bittles did, you learned how to be careful, how to hide at birth. Suzanne knew what she was getting herself into when she married Richard Bittle. It was a dangerous thing for a Selkie to fall for a human. Richard wasn’t like the stories she had been told though. She was told that all men were devious and would try to steal her seal skin pelt from her. She was told that humans were dangerous. 

Except, Richard had met her on the beach and talked to her. He had been kind and when she said she had to leave he asked if he could see her again. He had met her on the beach, in the town, wherever she asked him to. The first time he held her hand he asked first, the first time he kissed her he asked first. He never asked about the pelt she kept with her, about what she stored in the tote bag she refused to let go of. Except when they were walking through the city and a man grabbed her bag and tried to run he had chased him and fought to get the bag back. By the time Suzzanne caught up with him he had pulled her pelt from the bag and her heart had nearly stopped. Then she watched as he spread it out running his hands over it carefully, he brushed off dirt and then to her utter disbelief he rolled it back up carefully and then tucked it back into the tote. When he looked up and saw her he hooked the tote back over her shoulder with a smile and kissed her on the cheek. 

“Why?” She asked him. “Why do you never ask?”

“I figure you’ll talk to me about it when you are ready.” Richard told her. 

“I’m a selkie.” She admitted. 

He thought about it for a long time and then nodded.   
He swam with her after that. Well, he swam while she swam circles around him in seal form. It made him laugh. When he asked her to marry him he promised that he would respect her freedom no matter what. They moved into a house on the coast. Suzanne was free to disappear into the sea whenever she wanted and Richard never asked her to give up her life as a seal for him. When their son was born, Suzanne raised him careful, but not afraid. 

Eric Bittle knew how to keep his secret, and he knew to keep his pelt with him always, but he also wasn’t afraid of humans. He loved his dad as much as he loved his mom. They didn’t have many selkie relatives anymore. The last of his Mama’s relatives moved away when he was still young so they were alone. To him his mother was enough. 

“You never let that pelt out of your sight, Dicky.” She told him. “Not just because someone could steal it to control you, but because we need them. If we lose our pelts, or get too far from them, we lose ourselves. Remember that.”

“Why?” Eric had asked the first time she told him. 

“Because Selkies aren’t humans that turn into seals, or seals that turn into humans, we are always selkies, sometimes we look like humans sometimes we look like seals but we aren’t either. That pelt, your skin, is part of you, it’s like carrying your soul around outside your body.” 

“Oh.” Eric muttered clutching his bag with his pelt to his chest. He hadn’t realized exactly how very serious it was. He had also not considered the fact that he wasn’t human before either. He had always thought of himself as mostly normal with a magical secret, but he wasn’t. He was a whole different species from his father, from all the kids at his school. HIs mother hadn’t even told him he had to go to school. She had offered to raise him in a primarily aquatic way but he had chosen to spend more time with humans. It was hard sometimes but he thought it was worth it. 

Moving to Madison with his parents was hard. Eric and his Mama had never lived away from the ocean before. The house they moved into had a man-made pond behind it. The freshwater wasn’t the same as the ocean but it was still water, still a place where they could be themselves. 

“We’ll be safer in our own pond, Dicky.” His mother told him. “We’re at risk in the ocean, we cannot let humans see us.” He agreed and told her he was glad, that he was fine with it. He still didn’t like freshwater, but he learned to live with it. He and his mother still drove back down to the coast at least once a month. 

Choosing where he was going to go to school was hard. Part of him wanted more than anything to find a school on the coast where the water was warm and he could live in peace. There weren’t many habitats for Caribbean Monk Seal though. In fact, as a technically extinct species, they didn’t have any real habitat at all, even though his mother had been born and raised off the coast of Georgia. In the end he just had to make sure there was some sort of body of water where he could swim. In the end Samwell offered him a hockey scholarship and he fell in love. He had never expected to be a tropical selkie in love with a winter sport but he was. Skating was the closest thing to the freedom of swimming that was possible in human form. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bitty was homesick almost as soon as he left Georgia. The team weren’t like his rec team. They were loud and rowdy and huge. No matter what he did selkies were by nature skittish easily frightened people. He was meant to be a secret. His existence was meant to be a secret. It didn’t help that he was a small kid and people loved to bully him. Still, everyone meant well, so he was willing to give it a shot. 

“What’s the deal with the backpack?” Shitty asked him one day at practice while Bitty carefully tucked his bag into the lock box he had acquired. He locked the box and looped the chain around and through the pole in his cubby and locked it again. He looked up at Shitty biting his lip worriedly. 

“Not that you’ve gotta tell me or anything I’m just curious.” Shitty confessed. “All the locks make it sort of seem illegalish, and I’m not sure how to feel about that.”

“It’s not illegal, it’s just personal.” Bitty protested. He couldn’t help putting his body between his teammates and his lockbox.

“Okay man, I’m not trying to fuck with you. Your stuff is your business. I just meant to say, you can trust us. No one here is going to steal your shit. We’re a team.” Shitty told him. Bitty shrugged. 

“It’s not that I don’t trust you guys, I just was raised not to trust anyone if that makes sense.” He said apologetically. Shitty sighed. 

“Alright man, whatever.” He agreed. No one else bothered him about it which he appreciated. 

When Jack hauled him out of his bed on a Saturday for checking practice Bitty was tired enough to forget his locks. He couldn’t even find his backpack that he kept his pelt in. So he shoved it into his duffel and followed Jack to the rink. It wasn’t until they got to the locker room that Bitty realized he had no way of locking up his bag. He couldn’t keep it safe. Should he take the risk and just leave it sitting there? Should he have just left it in his dorm? But what if something had happened to it? Should he carry the bag on the ice? He wouldn’t be very stable or able to play if he did, and how was he supposed to explain that to Jack?

“You can set it on the edge of the wall by the bench, so you can see it.” Jack said, startling him. Bitty jumped and stared up at him in confusion.

“You were worried about your bag right? There shouldn’t be anyone else in here but we can keep it on the wall of the rink where we can see it. I swear I’ll keep an eye on it. Between the two of us it’ll be just fine.” Jack told him. 

“Thanks.” Bitty breathed, the panic draining out of him. Jack nodded. 

“Come on, Bittle.” Jack told him. Bitty was still so busy thinking about the bag and his pelt, and the fact that Jack was being kind, that he didn’t notice Jack skating at him until too late. He crumpled to the ice in a panic. He wanted to dive beneath the ice into water below. He knew there was no water beneath the ice, but every instinct screamed that there should be. Every one of his instincts screamed that he had to avoid confrontation at all costs.

“What the hell was that?” He demanded as Jack helped him up. 

“I came at you slow.” Jack told him. “I don’t even have pads on. We’ve got to work on this checking issue you have, Bittle. You’re a good player, but you need to get past this before you can be great.” 

“I’m just not good with confrontation, physical or personal.” Bitty muttered. Jack nodded. 

“Then we’re going to stay here and make sure you get used to it.” He told him sternly. Bitty just sighed and gave in. By the end of the morning he was pretty sure that at least part of him hated Jack Zimmermann, but he was also grateful. He had thought Jack hated him, but Jack was trying to help. Jack believed in him as a player. No matter how much Bitty hated him for waking him up early, he would try to be as good as he possibly could.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Bitty got an assist in the first game he was more proud than he had ever been. He shouldered his backpack and went to the kegster feeling excited. He let Ransom and Holster hold him up for a kegstand. He knew it was stupid to get drunk but he was high on pride and he trusted his team. The party was insane. Apparently the lacrosse team was throwing a party across the street and Ransom and Holster were determined to outdo them. 

By the end of the night Bitty was so drunk he could hardly stay on his feet. He didn’t even notice the hand that unzipped his backpack. 

“What do you have in here?” A voice behind him slurred. By the time Bitty whirled around the guy, someone from the swim team, had pulled his pelt out of the bag. Bitty froze in shock and fear. All the happy drunken joy that had been filling his chest drained away. Somehow he felt stone cold sober. 

“Give it back.” He said, holding his hands out. 

“Is this some sort of leather?” The swimmer asked letting the skin unroll. 

“It’s mine, give it back now!” Bitty demanded, hating that his voice went high pitched in desperation. He wouldn’t let this happen to him. He wouldn’t be enslaved to some stupid swim team moron because he got drunk at one college party. Suddenly there were two large presences at Bitty’s back. He looked over his shoulder to find Ransom on one side and Holster on the other.

“You heard the man.” Holster said. “Give it back.” His voice had none of the amicable drunkenness it had held all night. He sounded and looked intimidating. 

“Woah, dude, I was just curious.” Swim Team idiot protested eyes darting worriedly. He threw the pelt back at Bitty and he caught it, clutching it close to his chest. The guy turned to try to dart to the side and avoid Ransom and Holster. He ran straight into Jack Zimmermann.

“Get the fuck out.” Jack told him, grabbing him by the arm and turning him over to Ransom and Holster who marched him out of the Haus. Jack turned to Bitty. 

“Come on, Bittle.” He murmured. He ushered Bitty up the stairs and unlocked his room. Bitty gratefully escaped into the quiet, his pelt still clutched to his chest. He couldn’t get his hands to let go of it. 

“Are you alright?” Jack asked, shutting the door behind them. 

“Just shaken.” Bitty admitted. “I’m sorry, I just… it’s really important to me.” He added looking down at the skin in his hand. It was soft and familiar. The speckles were just like his own freckles. 

“It’s okay, Bittle. We’ve got your back.” Jack promised. 

“It’s a family heirloom.” Bitty said, feeling he owed Jack some sort of explanation. 

“You don’t have to tell me.” Jack told him. “It’s important to you. That’s all that matters.” He added. Bitty grinned at him and couldn’t help jolting forwards to hug Jack. Perhaps he was still slightly drunk. Jack hugged back awkwardly and then let him go. 

“You can sleep it all off in here if you don’t want to walk home.” Jack offered. 

“What about you?” Bitty asked. 

“I’ll go invade Shitty’s bed. He comes in here all the time so it’s not like we’re not used to sharing.” Jack told him.

“Thank you.” Bitty told him. It wasn’t strong enough to really convey what he wanted to say but he didn’t know what was. He couldn’t express to Jack how grateful he was for the team backing him up, making him feel safe and protected. 

“No problem, Bitty.” Jack told him. He left the room and closed the door behind him. Bitty sat down on Jack’s bed and wrapped his pelt around him. He knew he couldn’t change form in the Haus but he could still drape his skin around himself for comfort. He fell asleep curled up in a bed that smelled like Jack, wrapped safe in his pelt. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bitty woke up to someone pounding on the door. He shot up and rolled his pelt up into a small bundle so it was less obvious what it was. 

“Yeah?” He asked. “Come in.” He was expecting Jack but instead Holster bounced in. 

“Bitty!” Holster exclaimed. “Bitty Bits! Guess what I found?” He asked in a booming voice. Bitty winced, head pounding. 

“Keep it down, Holster.” Bitty moaned. Holster’s face fell slightly. 

“Oh, right, sorry about that. Here Jack sent me up with this.” He added offering Bitty a bottle of gatorade and some advil. Bitty took them making a note to make Jack a special pie for being the best captain ever. 

“What did you find?” Bitty asked once he had downed his advil and half of the gatorade. 

“One of the stupid LAX bros is passed out on the lawn right? I mean a couple of them are, but this one guy has a blanket animal skin thing just like yours!” Holster said. “I was gonna try to take it to bring it to you but Ransom told me not to. I can show you though. He doesn’t look like he’s moving anytime soon.” Holster added. Bitty was out of bed before he realized it. 

“Let’s go.” He said. He followed Holster down the stairs, outside and across the street. Just as Holster had said there were several lacrosse players passed out on the lawn, a couple chads among them, one was a guy Bitty wasn’t automatically familiar with who was curled up with his head resting on what was clearly a selkie pelt. 

“Watch him, don’t do anything just make sure he doesn’t leave!” Bitty said. He dashed back inside and grabbed another bottle of gatorade, some more advil, a hockey stick, and a glass of water. The guy was still dead unconscious when he returned. 

“Thanks, Holster, I’m gonna have a quick chat with this guy, you go back inside.” Bitty told him with a smile. Holster frowned. 

“How are you going to talk to him?” He asked. Bitty tossed the glass of water in the guys face. Immediately he was spluttering and waving his hands awkwardly. Holster nodded. 

“Alright fair enough, see you later, Bits.” He said. Bitty got the sense that he had a lot of questions but trusted Bitty enough not to ask them immediately and he was grateful. 

“What the fuck?!” The lacrosse bro demanded furiously. He saw Bitty standing above him and sat up. “Who the hell are you?” He asked. Bitty gripped his stick tight. 

“I’m Eric Bittle.” He said. 

“Hockey team, huh?” The guy said. He shook his head like a dog trying to get rid of the water. His brown hair flung droplets everywhere. He climbed to his feet and Bitty started to regret being so rude. The guy was taller than him. He wasn’t overtly buff but he moved like someone who was strong. Bitty got the sense he had been in a few fights before. Still his face was pleasant, he was smiling, his brown eyes warm, face flecked with moles. 

“We’re supposed to hate you guys for some reason but honestly that sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me. I mean your house sometimes smells like actual heaven and the stupid Chads told me I was never allowed to visit to ask for cookies or anything.” The guy told him. “Wait, are you the magical baking fairy, is this like a positive you woke me up because you felt bad for me and are going to offer me baked goods moment? Or is this a hockey team hates lacrosse team you’re going to beat me up with that stick moment? Can it be the first one? I had a sort of rough night? My friends ditched me, and my team let me pass out on the lawn apparently. It’s all sort of fuzzy.” 

“I thought I talked a lot.” Bitty muttered. “The type of moment this is depends on who that belongs to.” He told him gesturing towards the pelt in the other guys hands. Stiles looked down, blanched and immediately hid it behind his back like that would help. 

“What? That? That’s nothing. It’s a family thing you know, my mom gave it to me, and I just keep it with me. I swear it’s nothing creepy. I don’t like hunt seals or anything. I mean not that it’s a seal skin! It’s just a thing.” He babbled. 

“It’s a selkie pelt.” Bitty said throwing caution to the wind. “Is it yours or did you steal it?” 

“Steal it?!” The guy yelped. “Fuck no, fucking bastards trying to control damn selkies stealing their damn skins deserve to be skinned alive and then shot.” He exclaimed then bit his lip. 

“Fuck, I probably shouldn’t have said that, listen how the fuck do you know what it is? You aren’t trying to steal it are you? No one should ever be allowed to ask me questions when I’m hungover and tired and hungry.” 

“I’m not trying to steal your pelt.” Bitty told him, offering him the gatorade and advil. “I just had to make sure alright. I’m one too, don’t worry about it.” He said. He opened the backpack he had shoved his pelt back into so that the LAX boy could see. The guy beamed at him. 

“Really? That is so fucking cool.” He said, practically bouncing with excitement. “Oh my god we have to talk.” 

“Not here though.” Bitty said gesturing at the other sleeping LAX boys. 

“No, not here, let’s walk to the pond, and then maybe back to my place?” The guy asked. Bitty nodded. 

“You didn’t tell me your name.” Bitty pointed out as they started walking. 

“Whoops, sorry, Stiles Stilinski. It’s great to meet you Eric.” The guy said offering him a hand.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bitty meets the rest of Stiles' pack and they eat breakfast together. The Hockey team is not amused

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this is pretty dialogue heavy, sorry about that. This is also the first time I've actually posted anything in the teen wolf fandom so hopefully it's alright!

“... Stiles Stilinski. It’s great to meet you Eric.” The guy said offering him a hand. 

“Call me Bitty.” Bitty told him, shaking his hand. “Do you not live in the lacrosse house?” He asked. Stiles shook his head. 

“Oh no, I live with a bunch of my friends in a different place.” He said. “So, another Selkie! I haven’t met another one of us since my mom died when I was eight, all the communities are so secretive.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Bitty told him. Stiles sighed and shrugged.

“Sorry to be depressing, anyway, where are you from?”

“Southern Georgia originally.” Bitty answered. “You?”

“Northern California, but my mom’s side of the family, the Selkie side, is from Siberia.” Stiles told him. “Are there seals on the coast of Georgia?”

“Not anymore no, My mother and I are Caribbean Monk Selkies.”

“Holy shit! That is so cool. You guys are extinct as a naturally occurring seal population, are there more Selkies in the area?” Stiles asked. Bitty shrugged. 

“Not that we know of. Just my mom and i now, and we moved inland. We have a pond, it’s freshwater unfortunately but we survive.” Bitty told him. 

“Oh, yikes I didn’t even think. I’m lucky, I told you we come from Siberia. We have the only population of true freshwater seals, Baikal Seals, and thus Baikal Selkies.” Stiles told him. “Dude if you ever need a ride to the coast we should totally road trip it! I don’t mind the ocean at all.” 

“The atlantic is cold up here.” Bitty muttered. Stiles laughed. 

“Tropical Seals, what is the world coming to.” He teased. Bitty laughed. 

“How did you end up here?” He asked. “Long way from Cali.”

“Long story. We had to go to school but we needed to find someplace where we wouldn’t be intruding, where all of us would be happy, and then the Lacrosse was just a plus.” Stiles said. Bitty frowned. 

“Who is us?” He asked. 

“Oh right, sorry about that. My pack, um, how much experience do you have with other supernatural creatures?” he asked. 

“I am aware they exist, never interacted with any.” Bitty answered. His mother had told him about werewolves and everything when he was a kid but he had been lucky enough not to run into any. Stiles laughed bitterly. 

“Man are you lucky. My town not so much. We are a literal beacon for supernatural bullshit. I’m part of a pack of werewolves.” He said brightly.

“Wait really?” Bitty demanded. Stiles nodded. 

“Right, it’s a very long story but we have werewolves, a werecoyote, a couple chimeras and a banshee, and me. Selkie for the win, not that I can help much in a fight. They all grow claws and shit and I can turn into a pinniped that struggles to move on land. Hooray.” He rolled his eyes. 

“How did you get involved in that?” Bitty asked. Part of him wanted to say ‘werewolves? Nope I’m out’ but Stiles seemed like a cool guy. Bitty felt high on just being able to talk to someone.

“Best friend got bitten, had to track down the rogue alpha werewolf who did it, spoilers, he is my first girlfriend’s father. That was fun. Like I said long story, but we just sort of, became a pack you know? My ex is the werecoyote, she’s dating my best friend. My best friend is the alpha now. He didn’t even kill anyone to get the job. Our pack is a fucking mess, but they’re family.”

“Wow.” Bitty said, stunned. “That’s a lot.”

“That’s not even half of it,” Stiles said, “but don’t worry we’ve toned down now that we’re outside of Beacon Hills All we do is go to class and play lacrosse. I won’t let you get caught up in any of our former bullsht.” He promised. 

“What else does your ‘former bullshit’ involve?” Bitty asked worriedly.

“Basically if there’s an evil sort of creature around, we’ve gotten into a fight with it. Hunters, a kanima, wendigos, an evil druid who was sacrificing people, a Nogitsune, some fuckers named the dread doctors and their Beast, The Wild Hunt all that sort of crap.” Stiles told him. “I feel like every single semester there’s some new evil thing trying to kill people and then we have to investigate what is happening figure out how to fight it, and it’s a nightmare.”

“Oh, god and I felt bad about having to hide.” Bitty said with a chuckle. Stiles laughed and shrugged. 

“It’s whatever, we deal with it. In the end it brought us all together.” He said. “Don’t worry about us.” He added. 

“Well I’m going to make y’all some pies. Y’all eat a lot, werewolves that is?”

“They could probably eat half a pie to a pie each.” Stiles agreed. 

“Alright, how many of y’all are there?” Bitty asked. 

“Here? Eight. But you seriously don’t need to make us pies.” Stiles told him. They reached the pond. 

“Wanna go for a swim?” Stiles asked. 

“You aren’t worried about getting seen?” Bitty asked. Stiles glanced around at the empty shoreline. 

“We’re alone, it’s Sunday morning.” He said. Bitty looked around and then shrugged. Stiles grinned and pulled his shirt off. Bitty did the same. They both draped their pelts around their shoulders and then they changed. As Bitty grew, he was surprised to see Stiles shrink. Bitty’s seal form was well over six feet long and four hundred pounds. On the other hand Stiles shrank to four feet long and less than 200 pounds. Bitty recalled suddenly that Baikal seals were among the smallest seals while he was a larger seal as a Monk. 

They flopped their way forwards. Once they reached water of course they slid forwards with ease. Bitty dove into the lake with joy. It was a relief to be in the water again. Stiles swam around him eagerly. Bitty laughed internally and moved to chase Stiles. He was a quick little bastard. Bitty was agile though and he kept up pretty well. Bitty had almost forgotten how wonderful it was to swim with another selkie. Even though it wasn’t his mother, wasn’t another monk seal, it didn’t matter. Stiles was a selkie. Eventually they both surfaced and Stiles shifted back into human form. 

“We should probably go.” He said, glancing at the angle of the sun. Bitty sighed and changed back as well. They hauled themselves out of the lake and pulled clothes back on. Bitty still couldn’t help shivering though. It wasn’t that cold, it just wasn’t warm either. 

“You wanna come over to our place? I can introduce you to the pack.” Stiles offered. “You don’t have to of course, if you wanna go home.” He added. Bitty shrugged. 

“I’ll come over.” Bitty agreed. “It sounds cool to be surrounded by other supernatural people.” He admitted. Stiles grinned and led the way. Bitty felt infinitely better than he had upon waking up. There was nothing for a hangover like a proper swim in seal form. 

As it turned out Stiles’ pack didn’t live all that far away, but they did live in the more residential area of the town. It was nice. Finally Stiles stopped in front of a large beautiful house with lovely gardens.

“You’re kidding me.” Bitty said staring. Stiles shook his head. 

“Nope, I was all for renting your average stereotypical craphole but Derek doesn’t do anything by halves so he bought the place. Don’t step on his flower beds.” He told Bitty. “Derek is a pack member, he’s older than the rest of us and stupidly rich. God bless his werewolfy heart.” 

Stiles led the way inside. As soon as they set foot inside the living room a man emerged from the kitchen. Bitty wasn’t going to lie, he was one of the sexiest humans he had ever seen. The guy was tall, had broad muscular shoulders, dark soft looking hair, intense eyes, and the perfect amount of scruffy stubble over a jawline that could make angels weep. Bitty thought he would have looked better with blue eyes but that wasn’t the point. The guy focused entirely on Stiles. 

“Where have you been?” He demanded. “You don’t come home last night! And then you’re out all morning!”

“Hey, calm down, Der. I got drunk last night as intended. Then I got drunker than intended and passed out on the Chads’ lawn, no biggy.” Stiles said. 

“You passed out on the lawn?!” Derek (Bitty assumed Der meant Derek) exclaimed. “Who were you with? Wasn’t Scott supposed to be looking out for you?” He asked. 

“It’s fine, he got distracted. Well, he, Malia and Isaac got distracted that is.” Stiles explained. Derek’s eyes flashed blue. He opened his mouth but Stiles slapped a hand over it, which Bitty though was a bad idea of how to handle an angry werewolf.

“I’m fine. I am an adult and can take care of myself. I made my own stupid choices, but I am fine. In fact, I count it as a win, because I met my lovely friend here this morning because his team lives across the way.” Stiles said. Derek pulled away from his hand. 

“Hockey team? Aren’t you under orders from your douchey superiors to hate them?” He asked. 

“Yeah, but I don’t give a fuck, also Bitty is a selkie like me!” Stiles told him grinning.

“Really?” Derek asked finally looking at Bitty. 

“Yup! Derek meet Eric Bittle aka Bitty, baker hockey player, and Caribbean Monk Selkie. Bitty meet Derek, resident grumpy wolf and love of my life.” Derek rolled his eyes and turned to Stiles again. 

“Has anyone ever told you that you are ridiculous?” He asked. 

“Nearly every day.” Stiles agreed leaning up to peck Derek on the lips. 

“Well, it’s wonderful to meet you, Bitty.” Derek said offering Bitty a hand. He shook it, startled by how soft Derek’s skin was. 

“It’s nice to meet you too, I’ve never met anyone like me before so today has been awesome.” Bitty confessed. 

“Yeah, get that, Bitty has never met another supernatural person besides his mother.” Stiles said. “So I invited him over to revel in being normal compared to the majority of our pack.” 

“I don’t think y’all are that weird.” Bitty protested. Stiles and Derek laughed. 

“You’re wrong, but it’s sweet of you to say.” Derek said. He had his arm wrapped around Stiles’ waist and it made Bitty melt a little inside. He never got to see happy queer couples in Georgia. 

“Did I hear someone say there was another Selkie in this house?” A voice asked from behind them. Bitty turned to find a handsome guy about his age. He was buff and had dark hair spiked up a little. He looked latinx, and had dark brown eyes. 

“Scott, you abandoned Stiles at the party and he passed out on the goddamn lawn.” Derek snapped at the new guy. 

“It’s fine.” Stiles muttered. 

“Not to butt in, but you were asleep and using your pelt as a pillow.” Bitty interjected. Stiles grimaced as Derek and Scott turned to stare at him. 

“Jesus, Stiles I’m sorry, I didn’t realize how drunk you were.” Scott said. “I never meant to put you in any kind of danger.” 

“I can take care of myself, you over protective assholes. Look you aren’t the first friend to abandon a guy to go sleep with your partners, okay? I’m fine. I found a new friend.” Stiles said. 

“I’m still pissed at you, Scott.” Derek said. “Anyway, meet Eric Bittle.” He added. 

“Hi, I’m a Caribbean Selkie.” Bitty said offering Scott a hand. 

“Wonderful to meet you, welcome.” Scott told him. “I’m Scott McCall, Alpha of this pack.” He added. He shook Bitty’s hand. Two people stumbled down the stairs after Scott: a lanky curly haired boy and a pretty tall girl.

“Scott, you left, it got cold.” The guy whined. 

“I don’t believe that for a second, you are werecreatures.” Stiles said. “Bitty, this is Isaac, one of the betas Derek turned when he used to be an alpha, and Malia a werecoyote. Scotty, Isaac, and Malia are all in a polyamorous relationship, if they get too sappy in front of you just smack them on the nose with a rolled up newspaper.” 

“Oh, because you can talk.” Scott muttered looking at Stiles and Derek pointedly. 

“Fair enough.” Stiles said with a shrug. “Anyone else in the house?” 

“Erica and Boyd are here.” Derek said. “And Jackson and Ethan are just outside I promised them breakfast.” He admitted. Soon Bitty was being introduced to more people, an intimidating blonde girl and her soft spoken boyfriend, and two guys who looked like Chads. Derek went back into the kitchen and Bitty insisted on following. When he saw it he nearly fainted. They had a real kitchen with excellent appliances and an island that had more counter space than Bitty had previously dreamed of being possible in the college town.

“Can I help?” He asked. 

“Don’t be silly you’re a guest, you don’t have to help.” Stiles told him. Derek nodded. 

“No, I know, I just want to, your kitchen is gorgeous. I’m in love.” Bitty told him. 

“Oh right, you cook.” Stiles said. “Bitty’s the one responsible for the hauntingly delicious smells from the hockey house.” He explained to Derek. 

“My mama always tells me I’m the only Selkie ever who loves anything more than swimming. Says I should have been born able to shapeshift into an oven.” Bitty laughed. 

“Well if it’ll make you happy then be my guest I suppose.” Derek said, waving him in. Bitty bounced happily and hurried into the kitchen. Soon he and Derek were churning out waffles, biscuits and gravy, eggs, and bacon. Bitty even threw some muffins into the oven to bake. He was glad he did too. The wolves all ate ravenously.

“You are welcome any day, any time.” Stiles declared through a mouthful of waffles.

“Seconded!” Scott called practically inhaling his biscuits and gravy. “I mean any friend of Stiles’ is always welcome in the pack house, but anyone who cooks like this is an honored guest here.” 

“The pack house is technically my house.” Derek reminded Scott, “But, you are welcome to come use my kitchen anytime you’d like.” He told Bitty. Bitty felt like Christmas had come early. 

“Really?” He asked, beaming. “Y’all are so kind! I mean you only just met me and you’re being so sweet.” He realized in surprise that he was not intimidated by the pack. He was surrounded by supernaturally powerful huge guys and girls. He was surrounded by werewolves, who could all gut him easily. Even if they weren’t werewolves he was sure they could easily kill him and he had only just met them but he didn’t feel scared. Something about the fact that they all knew each other’s secrets, that they were all supernatural beings put him at ease. They had an ease of camaraderie and silliness that Bitty didn’t know how they maintained after all they had been through. Stiles kept everything light, pulled everyone together and put them at all at ease with each other. 

Bitty was eating breakfast with the pack, listening to them laugh and talk as his phone started buzzing. Only Stiles was talking to him. Bitty ignored his phone until Stiles turned to tease Derek about something. Bitty was happy to listen to everyone else talk for a while. Once he was sure that they were all focused on each other Bitty didn’t feel bad about pulling out his phone. He had gotten a ridiculous number of texts.

Jack: Bittle where are you?  
Are you okay?  
Holster said you vanished with an LAX bro  
I’m starting to worry you’ve been murdered.  
Don’t make me call campus police.

Shitty: Bitty you gotta answer Jack’s texts  
Your captain is losing his mind over here bro  
BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITSSSS

Holster: Are alive?  
Jack is breathing down my neck about this  
I was the last one to see you, he will blame me if you are dead

In the group chat there were even more texts. 

Jack: Has anyone seen Bitty today? 

Ransom: Seriously Bitty you gotta answer us dude  
Holster is literally hiding behind me and Jack is staring at us.  
Idk what happened my dude, is holst to blame?  
Because if he let you get murdered I might consider not dying to protect him.

Holster: That hurts bro,  
I would die for you, even if you got Bitty killed.  
Sorry Bits, but you know how it goes

Bitty: Oh my god calm down guys I am fine  
I’m with friends, totally alive and well.  
Jack do not kill anyone I’m fine, I met up with friends this morning. 

Shitty: Friends from the LAX team?!

Bitty: Friends who have a lot in common with me,  
You all need to calm down 

Bitty knew his teammates wouldn’t approve of him hanging out with Lacrosse bros but he couldn’t leave. He had found a place where he could actually be himself. Not only were they supernatural beings just like him but there were three queer couples in Stiles’ pack. Stiles was open and affectionate with Derek without shame. Derek returned his affection completely. Jackson and Ethan clearly adored each other as well despite their typical LAX douchey attitudes, and Scott seemed so stupidly in love with both of his partners it was almost too much. Bitty knew he was an outsider, a guest around a pack that was like family, but it was still a wonderful place to be. Still after breakfast he figured he’d better get back to the Haus to prove he was alive and well before the guys freaked. He couldn’t help appreciating how much they cared. It was sweet. He traded numbers with Stiles and the others before he left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if the formatting was wonky.
> 
> If you like this, drop me Kudos or a comment, because I am not really confident that this is decent.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pies, bonding, Jack meets Stiles and Derek, and a small road trip

The next day, Sunday, found Bitty in the Haus kitchen baking pies. 

“Ooh looks like quite the production in here!” Shitty observed chipperly when he came in.

“Yes it is.” Bitty agreed. “However, only that one is for you guys.” He added gesturing towards a cooling apple pie. 

“What?! You must have like five pies on the go right now!” Shitty protested.

“Nine actually. And they aren’t for you. I do have other friends you know.”

“Right the suspicious potentially LAX bro friends…” Shitty pointed out. 

“Just because they were at a lacrosse party doesn’t mean they’re lacrosse players.” Bitty insisted, which was true, in this case the majority of them were lacrosse players but no one needed to know it. “They’re cool people okay? We have a lot in common.”

“Really?” Shitty asked. Bitty nodded. 

“Really,” Bitty said teasing, “despite what you might think, hockey bros are not the only people I get along with.” He said. Shitty laughed and nodded. When the pies were done he texted Erica. 

Bitty: Hey, I made everyone pies and would appreciate help bringing them over, but I’d prefer if only non-Lacrosse players came.  
My team has problems…

Erica: Lol, I’ll bring Boyd and Malia to appease the hockey fools  
Where you at?

Bitty: The hockey frat Haus, idk if it actually has an address but we’re right across from the LAX frat house.

Erica: Be there in a few

She was true to his word and soon Erica showed up on his door, all blonde hair and leather clothes. Bitty thought it all looked horribly uncomfortable. Boyd and Malia were dressed more practically. Bitty let them all in with a grin. 

“Hey! It’s great to see you again!” He said. 

“Good to see you too, little bro.” Erica told him. Shitty, Ransom and Holster were all in the kitchen, obviously trying to steal pie while Bitty was distracted. 

“Hands off!” Bitty snapped. “Those are for my friends.” He added waving to Erica, Malia and Boyd. 

“But we’re your friends.” Holster whined.

“And I have others.” Bitty said. “Guys this is Erica, Boyd, and that’s Malia.” He told them. Then looked at his new friends. “And these are my teammates, Shitty, Holster, and Ransom.” He told them, gesturing to each man in turn. 

“Nice to meet you.” Erica said. Boyd nodded to them silently.

“Hey,” Malia greeted, “you’re handsome.” She added to Shitty. He smiled at her. 

“And you’re very pretty.” he said. 

“And you already have two partners, Malia. Calm your tits.” Erica interjected. Malia laughed. 

“Hey, it’s not my fault Bitty has handsome friends.” She teased, “Anyway, I think Scott and Isaac would like him.” She added. Shitty laughed. 

“Whatever’s going on there, I don’t want to step on toes.” He told her. She chuckled. 

“No worries, pretty boy. Anyway, I’m mostly teasing, my boyfriends and I are in a closed relationship.” She said. He nodded. 

“Anyway, I believe we were here for pies?” Erica pointed out. Bitty laughed. 

“Yes, you are, here help me with these,” he invited handing each of them three pies. They were each wrapped and labelled with post-its. 

“You’ll make sure everyone gets the right pie?” He asked. They all nodded. 

“Thank you so much for this, Eric.” Boyd said, “Seriously, you’re awesome.” 

“Thanks, I just hope you all enjoy them.” Bitty said with a grin. 

“We will.” Erica said. 

“Yup, you are basically everyone’s new favorite guy.” Malia said. Bitty laughed. 

“I’m glad to hear it, I’ll see you all around, I’m sure.” He said. They all nodded and wished him well before taking their pies and bidding him farewell. 

Bitty’s phone was flooded with grateful texts for the rest of the day, including one from Derek telling him that he hadn’t seen his pack so pleased in ages. Bitty glowed with pride at the thought of being able to make his new friends happy. He spent the rest of the day texting back and forth with the pack. 

Over the next few weeks Bitty spent a good deal of time with his new friends. They were all so open with their various supernatural abilities it felt like a different world. Stiles and Bitty snuck out to the pond at night and they swam together. Sometimes Derek came in wolf form and paddled around them, helplessly chasing after Stiles in the water just to make him laugh. Stiles’ laugh in seal form was a bark of a sound, but so much higher than Bitty’s own seal bark of laughter. It was odd to be so much bigger than the others, but nice. Bitty was always the smallest. He didn’t know why he was so small when his seal form was so large but he didn’t mind. He swam with and around his selkie friend and splashed water at Derek when he came. 

Jack and the others liked to ask Bitty prying questions but he dodged them as best as possible. He was not going to give this new freedom of his up just because his friends happened to play the wrong sport. When a rare weekend came that none of them had a game to play Stiles suggested they all drive to the ocean together for the weekend. Bitty leapt at the chance, and told the guys he wouldn’t be at their kegster that weekend because he was going on a trip with his friends. That was when Jack put his foot down. 

“You’re just going off, on a road trip with these people, but I’m not allowed to meet them?” He demanded. “None of us are allowed to meet them? No, no way Bits, you can go but they’re coming here first, the people you’re driving with.”

“Jack, you’re overreacting.” Bitty insisted. 

“I just worry about you, I want to know that you- that you’re safe.” Jack told him. 

“You might be my captain but you are not my father.” Bitty said. Jack sighed and tugged at his hair a little. 

“I know, I just… I care about you, and I want to know that you’re safe, and maybe I’m paranoid but I’ll sleep easier if I can meet them okay? Just whoever is giving you a ride.” Jack insisted. Bitty blushed and nodded. 

“Fine, I’ll have them pick me up here on Friday.” He said. Jack nodded. 

“Thank you.” He said. Bitty’s heart felt a little too full at the thought of Jack worrying over him, caring about him so very much. It made his stomach twist and flip in a confusing worrying way. Bitty scolded his foolish heart, telling it to behave. That Friday Bitty sat in wait with a bag. Jack sat nearby, not hovering but something like it. When the doorbell rang Derek was standing on the porch. Bitty let him in with a smile. His stomach no longer swooped at the sight of Derek as it once had. As Bitty got used to Derek his serious demeanor grew less and less intimidating and his absurd good looks no longer affected Bitty. Derek and Stiles were so wildly infatuated with each other that Bitty hardly noticed that Derek was handsome. 

“Derek, come in,” Bitty said waving him forwards, “where is Stiles?” 

“He ran into someone he knew, and got caught up, he’ll be in in a moment,” Derek said rolling his eyes, “you know how he is.” Bitty laughed and nodded.

“I do.” He agreed. He had never met someone, especially a selkie, with so few self preservation instincts as Stiles had. He was constantly seeking out danger, and throwing himself in the way of it, and he spoke to everyone, boldly and without fear. Eric couldn’t imagine acting that way, but Stile was unique. Anyone who knew him could tell you as much. 

“Jack, this is Derek.” Bitty said when Jack came into the hallway. Jack looked Derek up and down, and his face looked pale, but Derek smiled and offered him a hand. 

“Nice to meet you, Jack. Eric has told us all so much about you.” He said. Jack shook his hand warily, looking unsure. 

“You look a little old for college.” He said.

“I already have a degree, I live nearby with-” The door burst open and Stiles came in a bounce in his step. He stepped up to wrap his arm around Derek’s waist and offered a hand to Jack. 

“You must be Jack,” he said brightly, “Bitty is always talking about you, it’s great to meet you. I’m Stiles. I see you’ve already met my grumpier half.”

“I believe the phrase is better half.” Derek teased. Stiles laughed. 

“Should I have said handsomer half?” He said. Derek grinned. 

“Never, it would be a lie.” Stiles blushed and shook his head. Bitty snapped in front of his nose. 

“Hey!” He said. They both blushed and looked away from each other. Bitty had learned that particular trick from Erica who had little patience for the couple’s ridiculous mushiness. It was the only way to stop them sometimes. Otherwise they would go on flirting forever. 

“Sorry.” Derek muttered. Stiles looked unabashed. 

“I’m sorry, these two are impossible sometimes.” Bitty told Jack. To his surprise Jack looked much more cheerful all of a sudden. 

“So you are Bitty’s mysterious new friends, are you?” He asked. Stiles nodded. 

“Sorry to be a mystery, we’re just busy a lot of the time.” Stiles told him. 

“I can imagine, I might be wrong but I believe I recognize you from the lacrosse team.” Jack said. Bitty drew in a worried breath but Jack was still smiling, and Stiles grinned back. 

“I am, I’m sorry they’re so awful.” He said. “It’s part of why we’ve been hiding, I didn’t want poor Eric to get in trouble just because my teammates can be complete assholes.” 

“I can forgive you that, I was honestly worried Bitty was getting pulled in by some sort of cult.” Jack said, and Bitty realized that Jack was chirping him. He rolled his eyes. 

“My friends are not a cult thank you very much, Mr Zimmermann.” He insisted. 

“Not that you know of.” Stiles teased.

“Oh yes, we go out and dance under the light of the full moon, and do secret blood rituals.” Derek agreed, chuckling. 

“The only blood ritual you have is pruning your rose bushes and it only involves blood because you refuse to wear gloves.” Stiles teased. 

“Gloves interfere with proper gardening, no real gardener is afraid of a bit of dirt and some thorns.” Derek insisted. Stiles just rolled his eyes. 

“He’s impossible.” He said to Bitty. 

“You haven’t heard this one get started on history.” Bitty said, looking at Jack. Stiles grinned. 

“I’m half tempted to stick around to hear it, but we should probably get on the road.” He said. The next thing Bitty knew Jack was telling them to drive safe and laughing at something Derek said in response. Derek took Bitty’s clothes bag to load it into the car, and Stiles followed them. 

“I’m sorry I was paranoid.” Jack told Bitty apologetically. Bitty surprised both of them by lurching forwards and wrapping his arms around Jack and hugging him tight. 

“Thanks for looking out for me.” He told him, then let go and hurried off before he could make more of a fool of himself. He climbed into the back of Derek’s car, and didn’t look back until they were driving away. Jack was still standing there watching their car.

“So that’s Jack, huh?” Stiles asked. He turned so Bitty could see him waggle his eyebrows. Bitty laughed. 

“Yes, that’s Jack.” He agreed. 

“You like him don’t you?” Stiles asked. 

“He’s one of my closest friends, of course I like him.” Bitty answered. 

“That is so definitely not what I meant,” Stiles teased, but he didn’t press the matter. 

When they reached the shore Bitty practically leapt out of the car. He ran towards the ocean, stripping off his clothes at the last moment and shifting into seal form at the same moment. He dove into the sea. Stiles followed behind him and soon he was darting around Bitty. Bitty noticed Stiles blinking too much and was confused for a moment before he remembered that Stiles was a freshwater seal. It occurred to him suddenly that Stiles had not suggested the trip only for the privacy they would have on the beach in the off season, but for Bitty. 

Bitty swam out into the ocean, farther than he had had the chance to swim in ages. He hadn’t realized how much he missed it. Stiles and he swam until the sun set before returning to the beach. The others had pitched tents on the beach and made a fire. When he saw the seals coming to shore Derek stood up and came to the waterline with two towels. He held one out towards Bitty without looking. Bitty shifted back and wrapped it around himself gratefully. 

“Thanks Derek.” He said with a smile, shivering a little. He was glad to be back in the ocean but the Atlantic was cold off the coast of Massachusetts. Stiles marched out of the water unashamedly naked and came forward to take the second towel Derek offered. He wrapped it around his waist, clearly completely unbothered by the cool air. His torso was criss crossed by scars but Bitty knew better than to ask. The McCall pack had been through hell. It was a miracle they still had enough joy in them to act as they did. 

Bitty ducked into a tent to change into warm clothes and then took up a place by the fire. Everyone else lounged around casually. 

“You looked happy out there,” Scott said with a grin, “this is where you belong isn’t it?” He asked. 

“Well, somewhere significantly south of here, but yes.” Bitty agreed with a grin. They ate food cooked over the bonfire and told stories about their various encounters with the ocean. Bitty told them about how his parents had met. Stiles told Bitty how his own parents had met, and tales of other selkies. It was late before everyone drifted to their various tents. Bitty had refused the various offers of a spot in a tent. Instead, he returned to the edge of the ocean and shifted back into seal form. He and Stiles had swam past a small island, no more than a large rock, a short ways out. He swam out to it and slept there, with the waves lapping at his skin. It had been too long since he had been able to spend a good stretch of time in seal form. 

Dawn woke Bitty with warm rays of sun on his skin. He stayed where he was for a while, sunning himself on the rock. Eventually Stiles swam out and pulled himself out of the water alongside Bitty. After a while Stiles shifted back into human form. Bitty waited for a few minutes and then joined him. Folding his legs up for some level of modesty. 

“What’s up?” He asked Stiles. The other boy shrugged. 

“I just wondered if maybe you wanted to talk.” He said. “It’s easier in this form.” Bitty nodded and turned his thoughts through his head. 

“I have feelings for Jack,” he murmured, “I suspect you already knew that.” 

“I thought you might, and I thought you might want to talk, but I didn’t want to push you.” Stiles told him. 

“Thanks,” Bitty muttered, “I just… I don’t have much experience with this. It’s probably no use. I’m sure he’s straight.” 

“He’s not straight.” Stiles told him. Bitty looked at him sharply. Stiles shrugged. 

“Derek told me what happened before I showed up, how Jack was being cold, he was intimidated by Derek, and a bit jealous, and then I came in to make it clear Derek was taken, and Jack cheered up.” Stiles told him. “He likes you, Bitty. Derek is sure of it. I’ve learned better than to doubt a werewolf’s nose.” 

“I…” Bitty shook his head helplessly. “I have no idea what to say.” Stiles shrugged again. 

“You don’t have to say anything, it’s just food for thought.” Stiles said. He shifted back and dove into the ocean again. Bitty joined him. He spent most of his day as a pinniped. It was a luxury he had never expected to have during his time at college. It gave him time to think about Jack. Jack liked him, and Bitty liked Jack. Still he wasn’t sure if it changed anything. Bitty decided to proceed cautiously. 

They drove back to Samwell midday Sunday. Bitty was in better spirits than he had been in ages. They pulled up in front of Bitty’s dorm, but he didn’t climb out automatically. 

“Thank you so much, both of you,” he said, “for everything.” 

“You are most welcome, Eric.” Derek told him. “You are a friend to our pack.” 

Bitty smiled at Derek and Stiles before heading back into his dorm with a bounce in his step. Life was looking up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there is some level of plot coming along eventually I swear


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is an actual plot! Sort of! Pelts go missing and teams start searching, and there's a bit more communcation between our two favorite hockey players

Life was a disaster. It was all a mess and it was his fault. At least Bitty couldn’t help thinking it was his fault. He and Stiles had been at a hockey team kegster when it happened. Jack had helped Bitty sidestep anyone noticing that Stiles was there and was a lacrosse player. Stiles had been lonely, Derek was out of town for the evening meeting with pack allies, and the rest of his pack were busy doing couple things. Bitty had invited Stiles over to take his mind off things. Neither of them noticed it when it happened, when someone pickpocketed them of their most valuable possessions. Bitty didn’t feel anyone unzip his backpack, Stiles didn’t feel anyone unlatch his messenger bag. Yet somehow someone had done it, someone had stolen both of their pelts without anyone noticing, which meant it was no casual thing. No drunk frat boy could have gotten into their bags without them noticing. They weren’t that drunk. Someone very clever and very sneaky, had targeted them specifically. Whoever it was knew what they were stealing. 

It took Bitty some time to realize he was missing a vital piece of himself. When he did he felt the blood drain from his face. He turned to Stiles, but Stiles was having the same realization. 

“How did this happen?” He asked. “I never, I would have noticed. I should have noticed, this shouldn’t be possible.” Stiles was panicking and Bitty couldn’t help panicking as well. He felt like the world was collapsing around him. So he did the only thing he could think of. He dragged Stiles through the crowd to find Jack. He found Ransom and Holster first. 

“Bitty, what’s wrong, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Ransom asked. Bitty held out his bag. 

“Someone stole it, someone stole it and I didn’t notice, I was robbed, both of us, both of us were robbed.” He stammered looking at Stiles. 

“Did you see who did it? Do you have any clue?” Holster demanded. Bitty shook his head. Ransom nodded. 

“Right.” he agreed. The next thing Bitty knew the music was off, the booze had been hidden, and Ransom, Holster, Shitty, and Jack were clearing everyone out and questioning them before letting them go. 

“Bitty, Stiles, should I call the police?” Jack asked. Bitty shook his head. 

“No, no this is not something we can bring them into.” He said. Stiles nodded. 

“No we can’t, if anyone knows…” 

“They must known, if they hadn’t they wouldn’t have taken them.” Bitty said. Stiles nodded. When the house was empty except for them Jack, Shitty, Ransom, and Holster sat Bitty and Stiles down in the living room. 

“So what exactly are we looking for that we can’t tell the police about?” Shitty asked. “I mean, Bits, I trust you, and you don’t have to give us details, it’s just hard to search for something you don’t recognize.” 

“Seal pelts,” Bitty answered, “one from a caribbean monk seal. Very rare, seeing as they’re extinct.”

“And one from a baikal seal,” Stiles added, “also rare.” They were throwing caution to the wind by saying so much. Bitty couldn’t think straight though, and he doubted Stiles could either. 

“Okay, seal pelts, that you just… carry around with you all the time.” Holster said nodding. He was clearly confused but he didn’t ask anymore questions. 

“Right, we’ll go around, and start asking around from everyone we know was at the party.” Shitty said. “We’ll call up Johnson and the other guys, everyone on the team, we’ll canvas all of campus if we have to.” 

“Thank you.” Bitty murmured and there were tears in his eyes that he couldn’t help. Shitty and the others headed out, but Jack stayed with Bitty and Stiles. 

“I need to call Derek and Scott, the pack can help.” Stiles said. Bitty nodded. 

“Yes please.” He said. “We have to figure out who took them, and why, even if we can find them we can’t confront them.” Bitty said with a sigh. Stiles nodded.  
If someone had their pelts they were in a precarious position. To hold a selkie’s pelt against their will was to hold their life in your hands. If the pelt was damaged… Bitty shuddered at the thought. Selkie pelts were worth a great deal of money on the black market of those who traded in supernatural goods, for a variety of reasons. Bitty could not stomach the thought of someone selling his pelt. He would lose a piece of himself, and like any selkie separated from its pelt he would lose his mind, and eventually he would die. Or he would die if it was kept far away from him for a long time. If he followed it, stayed close, did whatever the person who held it from him said, he would survive, but it would hardly be a life. 

“Bits, it’s going to be okay.” Jack said, sitting next to him as Stiles paced into a different room to call the pack. “We’ll find it, I swear, we’ll search everywhere. ” 

“I-” Bitty didn’t know what to say.

“We’ll get it back, Bitty.” Jack said. “I won’t let anything happen to you and Stiles. I swear. I know what it means for someone to have that pelt, well I mean I guess I don’t exactly, but I’ve heard plenty of stories.” He murmured. Bitty laughed weakly through his tears, a hysterical sort of thing. 

“You believe all the fairytales you hear?” He asked. Jack shook his head. 

“No, but my mother raised me to be more open minded than most. She’s always seen possibility in what most think is impossible. I’ve seen enough to make my own assumptions on what you are.” He murmured.

“And what’s that?” Bitty asked, chest tight. 

“You’re a selkie, aren’t you?” Jack asked. Bitty didn’t say anything, he just leaned against Jack’s shoulder and burst into tears. Jack jumped a little but then wrapped an arm around him awkwardly. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you- I know it’s a secret. I’ll never tell anyone. I’m sorry.” He stammered. Bitty shook his head.

“No, not that, I trust you it’s just-” he sniffed helplessly, “it’s just that I’m a selkie but I’m not right now am I? My pelt is missing and I feel so lost.”

“We’ll get your pelt back, Bits. We’ll get it back.” Jack promised. Stiles came back into the room. 

“Derek and the others are coming over.” He told them. Bitty nodded, took a deep breath and wiped his eyes. 

“Jack knows what we are, we can trust him.” He told Stiles. Stiles nodded.

“Alright, if you say we can trust him, I trust him. Fair warning Jack, if you tell anyone my boyfriend might kill you. Nothing personal, he’s a nice guy, you’ve met him, but supernatural people have to take care of each other.” Stiles said. 

“And what is Derek?” Jack asked. “Not that you have to say.” He added. 

“I’m a werewolf.” Derek said emerging from the hallway. He had come in without any of them hearing. “You never lock the door.” He added gesturing down the hall. Bitty didn’t bother asking how Derek had gotten there so fast.

“Werewolves exist?” Jack asked. 

“Yes.” Derek agreed flashing his eyes. Jack nodded silently, obviously digesting this change to his world. 

“It smells like hell in here.” Jackson observed coming into the house. Ethan was holding his hand, but elbowed him slightly. 

“Don’t be a dick.” Scott added. 

“He’s not wrong.” Isaac muttered. Scott and Malia both elbowed their boyfriend. Erica and Boyd came in as well. 

“Half of you are on the lacrosse team.” Jack observed glancing at Bitty. 

“Are we seriously focusing on that right now?” Bitty demanded. 

“Sorry, processing, focusing on things I can understand.” Jack muttered. 

“Toss me your bag.” Scott told Bitty. Bitty handed him the backpack. Even with it empty he hated letting it go. Scott held it up to his face and sniffed it thoroughly, Derek was doing the same with Stiles’ satchel. They traded. 

“Same guy.” Derek observed. “Everyone get the scent.” He said. They passed the two bags around, breathing in the scent and nodding. Jackson just shrugged when it was offered to him. 

“My sense of smells is horrible by everyone else’s standards.” He admitted. “If we find someone I’ll take care of them, but until them I’m not much good except trailing Ethan around.” 

“You can go meet up with the rest of our team, they’re scouting out people who they know were at the party.” Jack offered. “I’ll call Shitty.” He added. 

“Is Shitty the one with the mustache that hates our entire team with a passion?” Jackson asked. 

“It’ll be fine.” Jack promised. He called Shitty and asked him to stop back by the Haus. He showed up not long afterwards. As soon as he walked into the living room his eyes went wide. 

“Fuuu-” Jack clapped a hand over his mouth before he could say what Bitty assumed was ‘Fuck the LAX team.’ 

“Shits, these are Bitty’s friends, and Stiles’ teammates and they have offered to help us search because this is very important to Bitty and Stiles. Jackson was going to come with you and the others while you talk to people from the party.” Jack said sternly. Shitty mumbled something and Jack removed his hand. 

“Fine, for Bitty.” Shitty muttered. “This doesn’t mean I like any of you.” He hissed at Jackson. 

“Right back at you porn stache.” Jackson muttered. 

“I know you think that is an insult, but I am immensely proud of my mustache.” Shitty told him. “Come on, pretty boy.” 

“Was that supposed to be an insult?” Jackson asked. 

“God, it was just a comment, you airheaded Armani model.” Shitty muttered. “Come on.” He waved. 

“Thanks, Shitty.” Jack said. Stiles nodded. 

“Thanks man, oh, and for future reference, Derek, Scott, Isaac, Malia, Erica, Boyd, and Ethan.” He added pointing at each of his packmates. Shitty nodded. 

“Good to know.” He muttered. He dragged Jackson out of the Haus. 

“Why do I feel more worried about Jackson than Shitty even though Jackson is the supernatural person?” Stiles asked. 

“Because Shits is a force of nature.” Jack answered. Bitty nodded. The rest of the pack headed out, trying to catch the scent from the bags somewhere outside so they could follow it. Jack, Bitty, and Stiles remained in the Haus living room. 

“Can I get you anything?” Jack asked helplessly. “Coffee? Tea? It might be a long night.”

“Coffee, thanks.” Stiles said softly. Jack came back with two cups of coffee and a plate with a small bowl of sugar, a container of creamer, and a small thing of milk. He didn’t even ask before putting three spoonfuls of sugar and a large splash of creamer into one of the cups, stirring it and handing it to Bitty. If it was a different time Bitty might have melted and blushed at how sweet it was that Jack bothered to remember how he took his coffee, but Bitty just nodded in appreciate and took a long drink. Stiles waved off the plate when Jack offered it to him. Instead, he left his coffee black and drank half of it in one go. Bitty couldn’t even judge. It was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry my updates have been slow I'm working on two fics right now and college just started back up, I'll keep on chugging though!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The source of the theft is discovered, secrets have been shared with hockey players, and we find out Shitty's first name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead! I'm just buried in school work, sorry for the delay!

Bitty was woken up by voices arguing with each other. He was curled up against something warm and he didn’t want to get up. It took him a moment to blink himself awake and realize he was curled against Jack’s chest. He sat up quickly, blushing like crazy, and then lifted a hand to his head which was pounding. 

“Woah, easy, you alright Bits?” Jack asked, putting a hand on his arm, and Bitty was even more embarrassed to realize that Jack had been awake. Then again Jack had let Bitty stay asleep on top of him. 

“Sorry, my head just hurts.” Bitty told him. “What’s going on.” 

“We fell asleep last night waiting for the others. Derek and Scott tracked down the guy who has your pelts and everyone is currently fighting over how to get them back. Stiles is up in my room. He said he has a migraine.”

“Yeah me too.” Bitty confessed, “It’s being so far away from them, the pelts. We aren’t made for this. Where are they?” 

“Well that’s the problem. Another werewolf pack did it. One of their Betas snuck in and managed to steal them, they wanted leverage against Scott and their pack. At least, we assume that’s why they wanted them.” Jack explained. Bitty groaned, hating everything about the situation he was in except for the fact that Jack was still holding him. Then he heard another voice in the other room. 

“I don’t care if it starts a damn war! Let’s start a war! You’re telling me you can’t take them?” Shitty demanded. “Bitty and Stiles are in pain, we need to fix this.” 

“Wars between packs are bloody. I’m not saying we won’t fight one if we have to, I’m just saying we’ve got to be careful. The Arthur Pack started this for a reason. We don’t want to play into their hands.” 

“Well, then why don’t we go ask them what they want?” Holster’s voice. 

“Because that is dangerous!” Scott insisted. 

“Do the guys know?” Bitty asked, worried. Shitty was shouting about werewolf packs and his head was spinning. 

“Yeah, Lardo joined up with Shits and Jackson last night and well, she’s not a fool. It all kind of spiraled.” Jack muttered. “So now Shitty is basically advocating a war with a werewolf pack, Ransom is making an excel spreadsheet of points people are raising. Derek is upstairs with Stiles. Scott kicked him out because he was getting too worked up. Erica and Boyd were sent out on reconnaissance, Lardo went with them. And everyone else is in the kitchen, fighting.” He explained. Bitty sighed and turned his attention back to the argument coming from the other room

“Oh yeah, and you’ve never done anything dangerous.” Ethan told Scott sarcastically. 

“We have done a lot worse things.” Malie muttered. 

“I don’t want to start a war.” Scott insisted. 

“Technically they kind of started it by kidnapping part of one of your packmates. I feel like that could definitely be counted as an act of war.” Ransom pointed out. 

“That’s fair. We’ve gotten into fights over less.” Jackson muttered. “Back in the day.” 

“You weren’t a part of our pack back in the day, you were the enemy.” Isaac pointed out.

“I’m just saying, what happened to the guy who declared war on the alpha pack when he was sixteen?” Jackson demanded. 

“He barely survived, and learned better than to just go into everything claws first.” Scott said sternly. “Look I’m alpha of this pack.” 

“Well, I’m not in your furry pack.” Shitty pointed out. 

“No, you’re human which makes this even more dangerous for you.” Scott said. 

“It might not though.” Isaac pointed out. “We all know what happens when a wolf kills a human. I mean everyone knows our pack has hunters on speed dial.” There was a contemplative pause. Bitty forced himself to his feet and walked into the kitchen. Jack followed him. 

“Are y’all actually considering sending Shitty into a den of enemy werewolves?” Bitty asked. 

“No.” Scott said as Holster, Jackson, and Malia all said “Yes.”

“Hey, I am all for this.” Jackson muttered. 

“I’ll take that as a vote of confidence and not a death wish.” Shitty said. 

“Yeah, you think that, you’d be wrong, but you think that.” Jackson said. Shitty, who was stereotypically wearing only boxers, glared, and Jackson --god bless him-- actually looked intimidated. 

“Shitty, do not start shit.” Jack muttered. Shitty scowled. 

“Look, how strong is this pack?” Bitty asked. “And can we think of any reason why they might have it out for us?”

“They’re nine wolves strong.” Scott answered. 

“So, we’ve got eight werewolves, two selkies, four very angry hockey players, and Lardo.” Shitty said. 

“Look, when Erica reports back we’ll figure it out until then there is no point arguing about it.” Scott said. “Bitty are you alright?” 

“Migraine.” Bitty admitted. “It’s like a fishhook in my brain pulling me that way.” He said gesturing. Scott nodded. 

“I know. I’m sorry. We’re going to get you and Stiles out of this.” He promised. 

“You want something to eat, Bits? We still have a couple of those muffins you made the other day left.” Ransom offered. “Unless you want something else, what do selkies eat?” 

“Ransom, you’ve seen me eat.” Bitty muttered, “We eat like any other human when we’re in human form, and if we get hungry in seal form we eat what any other seal would eat.” 

“Sorry, this is just a lot. I cannot believe that there are actually supernatural creatures living alongside us! Are there ghosts?” 

“We prefer the phrase Supernatural beings, not creatures, creatures is a very reductive word.” Scott pointed out. “And no, there are no ghosts, not in the typical sense of the word anyway.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be offensive.” Ransom said sincerely. 

“It’s fine, Rans,” Bitty told him, “you couldn’t know. And thanks but I’m not hungry.” 

“You should really eat something Bitty.” Jack told him. 

“I’ll eat when I feel alive again. Right now I only feel half real.” Bitty admitted. Before Jack could insist that he eat something Erica came into the room, trailed by their other spies.

“They’re all hanging out at their packhouse. They’re waiting for something,” Erica reported, “the pack was anxious though. I was down wind of the house so I managed to get close enough to sort of hear but I couldn’t understand much. I just know their alpha was pacing around. He was angry. Something about this isn’t playing out the way they wanted.” 

“We can’t start a war. So we should start a conversation instead.” Derek said from the doorway. “Beowulf is right, one of the humans should talk to them.” 

“Beowulf?” Bitty asked. 

“That’s me,” Shitty said, “I never told you that?” 

“Excuse me, your first name is Beowulf?!” Holster demanded. “You never told any of us that!” 

“My parents are fucking weird man.” Shitty said. “Derek here demanded my real name last night so he could look me up.” 

“Also, I won’t call you by your nickname, because it’s awful.” Derek said. 

“I may never recover from the fact that your name is Beowulf.” Ransom told Shitty. 

“Can we call him Wulfy?” Holster asked excitedly. “It would be hilarious given our present company.”

“Not funny.” Derek said, but he was smirking. 

“A little funny.” Isaac said. 

“You hid this from us to deny us a chance of a proper nickname for you, Wulfy. How dare you?” Holster asked. Shitty laughed. 

“Okay, focus in. Focus on the important things here.” Jack warned. “We have to talk to them. I think the two of us should go. Beowulf and I, that is.” He added, unable to stop himself from chirping a bit. Shitty ignored it. They all looked at Scott, who sighed. 

“Ask Stiles.” He muttered. “If he approves then fine. And we never tell Lydia. She’d kill me.” 

“Scott, Stiles has never been able to keep anything from Lydia.” Jackson reminded him. 

“She’s going to find out, but better to ask forgiveness than ask permission right?” Derek suggested. 

“Who is Lydia?” Holster asked. 

“Packmember, she’s a banshee,” Derek told him, “she’s also smarter than all of us. She’s at MIT. Stiles asked us not to tell her about the whole pelt thing until later. He’s worried she’d come racing here, and she’s got an important exam coming up.” 

“Right, Derek, you and I are talking to Stiles.” Bitty declared. In the end Stiles agreed, though it took some arguing. Then just like that it was time for Jack and Shitty to leave. Lardo wrapped her arms around Shitty. 

“Don’t get yourself killed.” She told him. He kissed her forehead fondly.

“I won’t.” He promised. Bitty gave in and threw his own arms around Jack. 

“Thank you for this, for everything.” He whispered. Jack hugged him back. 

“I’m going to take care of this, Bits. I’m going to take care of you.” Jack promised. 

“Take care of yourself too,” Bitty reminded him, “We have a lot to talk about when this is all over.” 

“That sounds good,” Jack agreed, “I’ll see you soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay there are only like two more chapters of this fic and I'm going to do my best to get them out to you before the end of time lol


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Shitty go talk to the Enemy Werewolf pack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is from Jack's perspective, yes I know it's the only one but y'all can deal with me being slightly inconsistent for plot's sake. 
> 
> I hope you like it!

“This is insane.” Shitty muttered as he and Jack drove to the enemy pack-house. 

“It was your suggestion.” Jack reminded him. He didn’t really want to talk about what they were doing. He didn’t want to think about why they had to do it. 

It had broken Jack’s heart to see Bitty so upset over the past few days. Normally he was so vibrantly undeniably full of life it sometimes felt like he was glowing. Since his pelt had been taken there was a dull look in his eyes and a grey tinge to his skin. It was like he was deathly ill. It made Jack’s chest feel tight with panic and fear. He had known he felt something for Bitty, something warm and affectionate and a little jealous at times. Now he knew, for sure, that he loved Eric Bittle. He wanted to get Bitty his pelt back by any means necessary, wrap Bitty up in it and then hold him close and never let him go. A few days before Jack might have thought that knowing Bitty was a supernatural being, a selkie, would have freaked him out. It didn’t bother him as much as it should have though. He didn’t care. He was glad to know about something so important to Bitty, not just because he had feelings for him but because they were friends and teammates. The part of Jack’s mind that immediately went over the top was already thinking about places he could live where Bitty would be able to get to the ocean easily. 

“I meant the general circumstance of werewolves and selkies.” Shitty told him. 

“Oh, yeah.” Jack agreed. He hadn’t expected the werewolves, but they seemed like pretty cool people, for Lacrosse players anyway. 

“If you ever want to back out of this, I’ll understand.” Jack told Shitty anyway. 

“Are you kidding me? And let you face down a pack of werewolves alone? No way! Besides, there’s no way I’m letting Bitty down either.” Shitty declared. “It’s just a lot. Although, I’ve wondered sometimes if Lardo was something magical you know, and know I have proof there are magical beings so…” He said. 

“Honestly, I would not be surprised.” Jack admitted. He hadn’t thought about it but Lardo had figured out what was going on really quickly, and hadn’t seemed at all fazed by finding out they were surrounded by werewolves. Lardo was pretty private about a lot of things too, it was one of the reasons he got along so well with her, they were cool just existing around each other. It really wouldn’t surprise him if Lardo had more going on than she ever told them. They were both silent as they contemplated that. 

Jack turned onto the right street, and kept an eye out for the address. He parked across the street from the house. It was nice. It didn’t look like the kind of place he expected a pack of antagonistic werewolves to live. It wasn’t all that far away either, which bothered him. The younger wolves probably all went to Samwell. 

“We’re here.” He announced. It sounded more grim than he meant it to. Shitty nodded. 

“Right, let’s go.” He said boldly. He climbed out of the car. It was Shitty’s car but Shitty made Jack drive whenever they drove together, Jack didn’t mind. They walked together to the door, and Shitty knocked on it loudly. Jack basically held his breath as they waited. The door was opened after a minute by a guy who looked about Jack’s age with light brown hair and a generic face. 

“What?” he asked, bluntly. Jack scowled at him. 

“Way to be polite,” Shitty said rolling his eyes, “Anyway, we’re here to talk to Alpha Arthur.” He announced.

“You’re human,” the guy, the werewolf, said. 

“Yeah we are.” Shitty agreed. 

“But you smell like the McCall pack.” The guy added grimly. 

“We know them,” Shitty agreed, not elaborating so the guy made his own assumptions, hopefully assumptions that would keep them alive. 

“You’d better come in.” The guy said at last, stepping aside to let them in. Jack braced himself as they walked in, refusing to turn back towards the wolf behind him, to look frightened. Shitty walked casually, as if he wasn’t frightened at all.

They walked down the hallway with their guide to a large living room. Six people were sitting around on the mismatched furniture, looking worried. A seventh man, who looked at least forty and matched a description of the Alpha, Benjamin Arthur, was pacing the open space. With their guide that accounted for eight of the nine wolves they knew were in the pack. Jack felt distinctly uncomfortable with the fact that one of the Betas was missing. 

“Would you be Alpha Arthur?” Shitty asked of the older man, who stopped pacing to examine them. The beta who had let them in dropped into an empty armchair, clearly not wanting to get in the middle of what was going on. 

“I am, and you are the two of you? You aren’t wolves, coyotes, or banshees, so you aren’t members of the McCall pack. You aren’t even druids.” The alpha answered. 

“My name is Beowulf Knight, this is Jack Zimmermann, and you have some things that belong to friends of ours.” 

“Since when does Scott McCall send uninvolved humans to do his negotiating?” 

“We are here because Scott doesn’t want to start a pack war with you, not because he thinks he would lose. I think we all know that they would destroy your pack, but because he wants to avoid any bloodshed.” Jack said, and he was startled by how intimidating his own voice was. He had heard enough since he had met Scott’s pack to know that they were respected and feared in the supernatural community. “Besides, this is not a matter between packs. You were the ones who involved outside parties.” He wished they hadn’t. He wished that Bitty had been left out of this and he didn’t have to stand here with Shitty bluffing that he wasn’t terrified.

“What do you mean?” Benjamin asked, and he looked surprised. 

“You took two selkie pelts, from selkies in our Haus. One belonged Stiles, the Selkie in the McCall pack, Derek Hale’s mate. The other pelt belonged to Eric Bittle, an uninvolved selkie who is our teammate.” Shitty announced. 

“Oh shit,” Benjamin muttered, “this day just gets better and better, fuck.” 

“Excuse me?” Shitty asked. “Are you suggesting you weren’t aware?” 

“To begin with, I did not authorize the theft,” Benjamin admitted, and the betas around them looked surprised to hear the admission, “one of my Beta’s, Jeremy, acted without my knowledge or permission. He is not here, I kicked him out of our house for his disobedience.” 

“You kicked him out of the pack? Is it responsible to put a reckless werewolf out on his own?” Jack asked, alarmed. 

“He is an Omega, the lowest rank a wolf, but he’s still in my pack. Most Omegas are without a pack but they don’t have to be. He is a third class citizen in this pack, but he still answers to me. If he does anything it is still my responsibility to eliminate him, and I will do so if I must, you have my word. However, I hope that he will learn and improve and one day be fit to be welcomed back into the pack properly.” Benjamin answered, “I tell you this as an act of good faith. I will also say that we did not know that your teammate was not a pack member. He has been seen in their packhouse, he is good friends with them, especially the other selkie. We thought he had been recruited into the pack.” 

“Well if this is all just a horrible misunderstanding then you can return the selkies’ pelts and we can put all of this behind us.” Shitty said. Jack had a horrible feeling that it wasn’t going to be that easy. Benjamin’s grimace confirmed his thoughts. 

“I’m afraid I cannot return them both,” he said, “it was not the move that I wanted to take, Jeremy acted impulsively, but an action had to be taken. The McCall pack is on our territory. My family has controlled this territory for generations. As we have a college town in our territory we have always allowed passers through. However, the McCall pack has taken a house here, McCall’s second in command, Hale, lives with them despite not being a student. They have shown signs of recruiting new members to their pack, by courting your selkie. This cannot be allowed to continue. Whether I approve or not, I now have a bargaining chip, I shall not give it up.” 

“We cannot negotiate on those matters,” Shitty said. 

“If all you wish is a bargaining chip, though, then you don’t need Eric’s pelt. He has no intention of joining the McCall pack, and they are not pursuing him.” Jack added. Benjamin nodded. 

“Indeed. I wanted to negotiate with the McCall pack peaceably, and I still do. I will return the second pelt to you as a show of good faith, if you will arrange for McCall and Hale to meet with us.” He offered. He turned to his Betas and snapped his fingers. “Kiley, get the monk seal pelt, and be careful with it. Remember-” 

“Don’t touch it with my bare hands, I know.” A girl, who was probably in her early twenties agreed standing up. 

“We’ve tried to keep from getting our scents on the pelts. I know that selkies hate for strangers to touch their pelts, though I know little of the details.” Benjamin explained. Soon Kiley returned with Bitty’s carefully folded rolled pelt in her hands, which were gloved. Jack couldn’t stop himself from stepping forward and snatching it from her hands. He held it close to him, breathing deeply in relief, like a tight band of fear around his chest had been released.

“You’ll set up the meeting?” Benjamin asked. Jack and Shitty nodded. 

“We’ll set it up, give me your number.” Shitty said, offering the alpha his phone. Benjamin took it and plugged in his number. “We’ll call you when it’s set. Thank you for speaking to us.” 

“If we can smooth this all over and come to an agreement with the McCall pack, I will owe the both of you a great debt.” Benjamin admitted. 

“Just keep your Betas in line in the future.” Jack told him. He turned and walked out of the house, letting Shitty follow after him. 

“You drive.” He told Shitty as they got back to the car. He wasn’t willing to let go of Bitty’s pelt. It was soft and lovely in his hands, but he felt like he was holding something incredibly fragile and incredibly important. It was really hitting Jack that what he was holding was a piece of Bitty, not an important possession, it was part of him. 

As Shitty drove them back to the house in silence, Jack reflected on the stories he had heard about selkies. All the stories involved some guy stealing a female selkie’s pelt to compel her to stay in human form and close to him, so she would be marry him. The thought made Jack sick to his stomach. He wanted to kill the stupid omega, Jeremy, for daring to take away Bitty’s pelt for a day. The thought of someone keeping his pelt from him permanently, taking away part of him, taking away his ability to choose to live how he wanted, was horrifying. Jack couldn’t believe that any of the men in the stories had ever cared for their selkie wives. If they had truly loved the selkies they would never take their pelts. If someone truly loved a selkie they would fight to the ends of the earth to get their pelt back if someone else took them. Jack knew he would at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have officially finished this fic! My Beta is currently looking over the final chapters. There are two after this. I will post them over the next couple days


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack comes back to the Haus with Bitty's pelt and shit gets really fluffy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, y'all, this chapter is mostly just fluff, I hope it makes your day a little brighter. Goodness knows I could use a bit more fluffy joy in mine (don't mind me I just read a very depressing book).

Bitty didn’t want to sit still while Jack and Shitty were out there risking their lives by facing down an enemy werewolf pack, he wanted to stress bake, but he was hardly halfway through making a pie when he nearly fell over while turning from one bowl to the other. Stiles and Derek dragged him back to the couch (which had been covered with blankets to make it livable for the time being). 

“If you feel anything like I do right now you are way too dizzy to be baking.” Stiles told him. Bitty grimaced and pouted but he didn’t try to get back up. They were right. 

“Do you think I made the right choice?” Scott asked. Only he, Derek and Stiles remained in the Haus. The rest of them had gone back to their packhouse to get some sleep after searching all night. Ransom, Holster, and Lardo were all napping as well, Lardo in Shitty’s bed because she hadn’t wanted to leave when she knew Shitty would be coming back to the Haus. Bitty didn’t think she was likely to be getting any sleep but he understood her desire to worry alone. He didn’t know what exactly was between her and Shitty, it didn’t seem romantic, but he knew they both cared about each other a lot.

When the door opened Bitty leapt to his feet, and was surprised that he didn’t immediately keel over. He felt a little better actually, and was confused as to why until Jack burst into the room. He had Bitty’s pelt clutched in his hands. As Bitty hurried toward him, Jack let the pelt unfurl in front of him. When Bitty reached him he wrapped the pelt around his shoulders. The pelt was large, indicative of his size as a seal, and he could wrap it around his shoulders like a blanket. The feeling of his pelt around him was like being able to breathe after drowning. He felt safe, like he had been given a death sentence reprieve. It was too much to handle after the past day; Bitty burst into tears, leaning into Jack’s chest and crying into his shoulder. Jack’s arms encircled him gently. 

“Hey, it’s okay. It’s all going to be okay now,” Jack murmured, rubbing his back comfortingly as he sobbed, “it’s alright Bits. I’ve got you. I’ve got you. Nothing like this is ever going to happen again, I promise. I won’t ever let it happen again.” He murmured. Bitty knew that he meant it, and it felt like such a wonderful beautiful thing to have Jack with him always protecting him. He wanted to tell Jack as much, or just thank him, but he couldn’t seem to stop crying. Jack showed no inclination to let him go so Bitty just gave in and let himself cry into Jack’s chest. 

He distantly heard Shitty telling Scott, Derek and Stiles that the pack still had Stiles’ pelt, and wanted to meet. He wanted to say something, to check in with Stiles, to get the details but he was still overwhelmed. He did his best to take deep breaths and listen to Shitty despite his tears. Jack squeezed him a little. 

“Bitty, you want me to take you upstairs? We can sit in my room, so you can take some time to breathe, I can fill you in on everything that happened once you’ve had a chance to calm down a bit.” Jack offered. Bitty nodded into his chest. To his surprise Jack just swept him up with an arm under his knees and one supporting his back. Jack carried him upstairs and into his room, then set him on the bed. Jack’s bed was huge and comfortable, Bitty realized. Jack shut the door, and sat down next to him. Bitty moved to wrap his arms around Jack and Jack let him cling to him. Jack held him until he stopped crying. 

“Thank you,” Bitty sniffed, moving back a little so he could see Jack’s face, “seriously I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you went there and risked… risked so much to get my pelt back.” 

“You’re welcome,” Jack told him, “I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. This is a part of you, your freedom, your nature. It broke my heart to see the way you were without it. I would do anything to stop you from feeling like that.” Bitty felt his heart melting in his chest.

“You’re so sweet,” Bitty told him, “I adore you, Jack Zimmermann.” He said beaming at him. Jack blushed and ducked his head slightly for a moment.

“Hey Bittle?” He asked quietly when he looked back up. Bitty met his eyes, in awe, as always, of how beautifully blue they were. 

“Yes?” He asked quietly. 

“Can I kiss you?” Jack asked. Bitty felt like he might explode from how much he loved this boy who was so sweet and gentle and beautiful. He couldn’t find the words to answer so he just leaned forwards to kiss him softly. Jack kissed back, wrapping his arms tighter around Bitty. 

“Hey Bits?” Jack asked, grinning as he pulled back. Bitty giggled helplessly. 

“Yes, Jack?” Bitty answered. 

“I adore you too.” Jack said, then leaned forwards to kiss him on the cheek. Bitty felt himself blush. He grinned like a fool and launched himself back into Jack’s chest to hold him tight. Jack laughed and hugged him back, leaning down to kiss every bit of his face he could reach. Eventually they both stopped laughing and Bitty remembered that everything wasn’t over.

“So what happened?” Bitty asked Jack. Jack had ended up on his back and Bitty was lying next to him, his pelt over him like a blanket and his head resting on Jack’s chest. Jack sighed and set about telling him all the details. Bitty grimaced. 

“Oh Lord, poor Stiles,” he said when Jack had finished explaining, “no one deserves to be used as a bargaining chip.”

“I know,” Jack murmured, “it’s so wrong.” He shook his head. Both of them were silent for a moment, as they contemplated it. 

“Jack,” Bitty murmured, “I’ll probably always be running off to the ocean, I’ll never belong just to you, never be just a human, can you be okay with that?” he asked, worriedly. 

“Of course,” Jack answered without hesitating, “Bits, you’re a selkie. I understand that, or maybe not completely, but I know it means I can never expect you to spend your life as just a human.” He was so sweet, and made Bitty want to cry. He had to make sure they were clear though. He couldn’t go into this relationship unless they understood each other completely.

“Jack, I can’t… I don’t think I can promise that I’ll always come back.” He admitted, baring the thing that had been in his heart since his pelt had been taken. When Jack gave it back Bitty had wanted to take it and run straight to the ocean and never come back. No one could ever take it from him again if he was always wearing it. It was a dark, frightened though, but it was there and that mattered. 

“What do you mean?” Jack asked, but he didn’t sound angry or upset. 

“I mean that right now, part of me wants to dive into the ocean and never come out. It would be a safer life for me in a lot of ways, and after everything… I was so scared, and I never want to feel that way again. I don’t plan on doing it, but I don’t know what’s coming, so there might come a day when all of this becomes too much and I go into the ocean and never come back out.” Bitty admitted. “I swear if that day comes I will tell you but there might be times when I am gone for days and now you’ll be left wondering if I’m never coming back.” Jack shifted to sit up a little. 

“Eric Bittle, look at me,” he said gently. When Bitty looked up at him Jack’s face was open and unworried. 

“I trust you.” Jack told him, “If you say you’ll tell me then you’ll tell me. If you have to leave someday, I am sure that you will have a good reason for it, and I will let you go because I want you to be happy. I will never ask you to be something you aren’t for my sake, Bits. Right now, though, we are just starting out. We don’t have to worry about everything that may or may not happen in the future, we’ll figure it out as we go.” Bitty stared at him breathlessly for a long moment.

“What did I ever do to deserve a boyfriend as perfect as you?” He asked. Jack blushed and leaned forwards to kiss him lightly. 

“You’re the perfect one, that’s why you’ve got me.” He said. Bitty laughed. Jack’s phone went off. 

“What’s up?” Bitty asked. 

“That was Shits, they’ve arranged the meeting,” Jack told him, “Benjamin and two of his Betas are coming here to the Haus in two hours. Scott, Derek, and Stiles will meet with them to negotiate. Shitty has been given the role of a sort of peacekeeper since he’s hosting this. We’re allowed to sit in but not participate.” He announced. 

“I want to be there.” Bitty decided.

“Are you sure? You don’t have to. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to face the people who did this to you.” Jack asked. Bitty nodded. 

“I’m sure,” he agreed, “it won’t be the easiest thing, but I think I should face them, and I want to be there for Stiles.” He insisted. He wouldn’t let himself hide from what this strange pack had put him through, and he wouldn’t let Stiles sit as the lone selkie in a room full of werewolves arguing pack politics with his life as a bargaining chip. Stiles was his friend. He had been there for Bitty when Bitty really needed him, and Bitty was going to be there for him. 

“You’re really brave, have I ever told you that?” Jack asked him. 

“I’m not brave.” Bitty said automatically but Jack shook his head. 

“Yes you are, with this, with checking, with us. You’ve been so brave, I admire it.” He said. Bitty kissed him again, because he could and he didn’t know what to say to that. 

“Can we just stay here until it’s time?” Bitty asked. 

“You can stay here with me forever as far as I’m concerned.” Jack told him. Bitty giggled and buried his face in a pillow to hide his blush. 

“Hey, can I ask you something about selkies?” Jack asked. 

“Mhmm, you’re still new to all of this, you can ask me whatever.” Bitty told him. 

“I’m sure I’ll have a million questions over the next couple days, but right now something’s been bothering me. In all the stories selkies marry men because they’ve taken and hidden their pelts, and they’re told like romantic stories. I just can’t imagine that. I guess I just wanted to know what the selkie’s side of the story is.” Jack said. Bitty sighed. 

“All those stories are nonsense,” he declared, “I mean, of course there have been people who steal selkies pelts to capture them, but selkies see those stories in the same way we might view people being forced into sex slavery. There is no romance in them.” He said sternly. Then something occurred to him and he laughed. 

“What?” Jack asked. Bitty laughed again. 

“It’s just that in selkie culture we have a different practice.” He admitted, blushing. “For selkies, if someone has your pelt, not by stealing it but has it, and then returns it to you, it’s the same as an engagement or a marriage. Selkie couples who have been together for some time will trade pelts in order to symbolically return them to each other as a sort of wedding ceremony.” He ducked and buried his head back into Jack’s pillows, embarrassed. He couldn’t believe he had told Jack that. 

“Oh, um, that’s… I didn’t… I-” Jack stammered. When Bitty peeked to look at him Jack was even brighter red than he was himself. 

“You didn’t know,” Bitty reassured him, “I swear I won’t hold you to it. It’s an old practice anyway. I only know about it because my Mama grew up traditional, staying in seal form most of the time and all. She was seen as a rebel when she married Coach.”

“Oh- okay that’s-” Jack still didn’t seem to have the right words. Bitty laughed and kissed him on the cheek. 

“We can just stick to dating the human way for now.” He promised, “But you can never tell my Mama or she will recognize you as my husband. Actually, just never mention it to any other selkies if you don’t want them to think we’re married.” 

“What about Stiles?” Jack asked. Bitty sighed. 

“I can’t help that one.” He admitted, “It’ll be fine. We’ll work it out. For now, I’m just happy to be with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second to last chapter, I hope y'all enjoy it!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a pack negotiation and then a party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Y'all, Last Chapter! I really hope you like it!

When they only had about half an hour before the meeting Bitty and Jack trooped back downstairs. Shitty had set up the kitchen table so that there were three chairs on one side, and three on the opposite side, and one chair adjacent to each set. Scott, Derek, and Stiles were already sitting on their side of the table; Stiles in the center flanked by overprotective werewolves. Jack and Bitty leaned against the counter and waited. No one said anything as they all sat in wait. Lardo was hiding in the attic with Ransom and Holster anxiously waiting for the results of the meeting to which they were not invited. They were all very grumpy about being excluded from the proceedings. They had come down to check in on Bitty when they heard he was back, and to whine about being banished to the attic. Bitty felt bad for them, he knew the anxiety that came from waiting. 

“You sure we can’t just kill him and resolve this that way?” Derek muttered. 

“Yes, he’s a dick, but let’s just avoid murder. For once, in our lives, I’d like the horrible something that happened to be resolved without bloodshed.” Stiles insisted, and Bitty could tell he’d said it before.

“He deserves it though,” Derek said, “stealing your pelt, not giving it back and just talking to us like they should. Using you as a damn bargaining chip. He deserves to die bloody.” If it was anyone else it would have sounded like whining, but Derek was still a little too intimidating for Bitty to think so.

“They say the best revenge is living well,” Stiles said, “and I know I’m normally on the bloody revenge train, but I just want this to be over. Besides think how good we’ll look. We could kill them, but we aren’t going to. We wanted to establish a better reputation for inter pack relationships remember? It was on our list of goals for the future after graduation, right behind not nearly dying every few days.” 

“Fine.” Derek grumbled. They all fell silent again. 

The knock on the door made all of them start slightly. Shitty jumped and rushed to the front door. He had been uncharacteristically well, and fully, dressed all day. 

“Come in.” Bitty heard him say. Then he was guiding three werewolves into the room, a man in his forties who had to be the alpha, a slightly younger man, and a young woman. When the approached the table Scott, Stiles and Derek stood, Stiles leaning on Derek a little to make it to his feet. 

“Alpha Arthur.” Scott said, offering him a hand. Bitty was struck by how young Scott was. He was only eighteen, and he he was facing off with an alpha over twice his age. 

“Alpha McCall.” Benjamin Arthur greeted. “Thank you for agreeing to meet. These are my Beta’s, Kiley, and Aaron.” 

“This is my Beta, Derek, and this is Stiles Stilinski.” Scott said, waving to his own companions. They all sat. 

“You didn’t bring my pelt with you.” Stiles observed. Arthur looked surprised to hear Stiles speak up first, which almost made Bitty laugh. He would learn. 

“I was hardly going to risk your pack attempting to take it by force.” The alpha said. 

“Fair enough, but a man can hope.” Stiles muttered, “You see I’ve had this migraine for the past day or so, and it’s hard to negotiate when I feel half dead, because someone has no sense of not kidnapping people for their own gain.” 

“Stiles, you’re the one who advocated against a fight.” Scott warned. Stiles shut his mouth pointedly like a promise to behave they all knew he wouldn’t keep. 

“You have my sincere apologies for the inconvenience. This is not the way I wanted to prompt an agreement between our packs.” 

“Yeah, you could have just come over and asked to talk to us.” Stiles pointed out. 

“Stiles,” Scott murmured again. 

“No he has a point. Benjamin, you had no reason to pursue an antagonistic approach to this, if you had asked for a meeting it would have been granted. Instead, we find ourselves here, but you ask us to believe you mean no harm?” Derek said. The alpha grimaced. 

“I explained before that I did not approve of this strategy.” He said, “I did not know whether you would be open to negotiating so I was approaching cautiously when all of this happened. My beta, now my omega, acted in reaction to slights to our pack.” 

“We seem to hit a disconnect there,” Scott said, “Because when we first came here for college we were told that it was fine because you allowed people to pass through. Now suddenly you see our presence as a slight.” 

“We allow people to pass through, but you are a whole pack. You have not only brought school age wolves, and you have established a pack house. Then you appeared to be seeing more members for your pack by pursuing the other selkie, Bittle.” 

“I am not attempting to stake any claim to your land. This is your territory and until recently I was grateful to you for allowing us to stay here. Our pack lands are in Beacon hills and always will be. After graduation we will all return there.” Scott promised.

“Then how do explain, Hale owning a house here?” Arthur challenged. 

“You are just really stuck on him aren’t you?” Stiles asked, waving at Derek. 

“I am stuck on the fact that your entire pack has moved into my territory.” 

“It is not our entire pack.” Scott said. “We came to Samwell because we all were accepted here, and after everything we have been though we prefer to stick close together. We have a pack member in Boston at MIT. She would never have accepted going elsewhere, so in a way, we all followed her to the region.” 

“That is nonsensical!” Aaron, the beta, protested, “pack is pack, distance does not change that, why would you abandon your own territory? Just to stay close to each other?” 

“We haven’t abandoned it. We go back frequently, and we have… extended pack members holding down the fort at home.” Scott said. 

“But-” Aaron protested. 

“Okay, I’m going to interject here, because I feel like Scott is dancing around something a little,” Shitty said, “what I feel like is going on here, from what I know of the McCall pack, is that they are all really codependent on each other. To be fair, they have had things nearly kill all of them pretty much constantly since they became a pack. They’re young, even though they’re strong, and they rely on each other, and definitely rely on Derek, for support. Now I’m getting that that’s super weird from your perspective, but can you sort of see where they’re coming from?” Shitty asked addressing Arthur. Bitty could not believe how bold he was sometimes.

“You have to understand, I was an alpha once, I turned Erica, Boyd, Isaac, and Jackson. Isaac is an orphan who has lived with me since losing his parents, and I support him, Erica, and Boyd financially.” Derek said, “I’m not their alpha anymore, and that is a good thing, but they are still my responsibility. Every time I leave them alone for any period of time they almost die.” 

“Plus he’s clingy, and he loves me.” Stiles added. Derek did not protest that statement. 

“It is true that every time our pack is separated we almost die.” Scott said. “after the kanima, alpha pack, the nogitsune, the darach, the ghost riders, the hunters, the dread doctors, the dead pool, the anuk ite, and various other random things trying to get rid of us, we figured we’d better just stick together.”

“All of those actually happened?” Arthur asked, blanching slightly, “I was sure that some of them had to be exaggerations or lies.”

“Oh no, none of that shit is made up. Honestly our lives are so damn ridiculous you couldn’t exaggerate it. Like Derek’s crazy uncle. That guy has been killed so many times, sometimes by us. He just keeps on coming back. It doesn’t make any sense.” Stiles muttered. “Then just when we’re having a nice peaceful year for once in our lives, a vacation from the hellhole that is home territory, you get all unnecessarily defensive and kidnap me!”

“We didn’t kidnap you.” Lindsey protested. 

“You took his pelt, it’s a part of him, so in essence, you did.” Scott said. 

“Hey, look let’s not get into a fight over that. This can work out super easily. The Arthur pack gives Stiles back his pelt with a heartfelt apology and other necessary concessions, the McCall pack promises to leave as soon as they all graduate, and we all move on.” Shitty said, playing the peacekeeper remarkably well. Bitty had heard him saying that he wished the Arthur pack all took a flying leap off a cliff earlier that day. 

In the end that was what it boiled down to. They spent a lot more time hammering out details as they waited for one of Arthur’s betas to bring Stiles’s pelt to them. Shitty even wrote out an official document for them to sign. The McCall pack also had to swear to leave over the summers, which they granted. The Arthur pack had to swear never to deal with another pack the way they had dealt with the McCall’s on pain of death, and never come near another Selkie. Another werewolf came in with a carefully wrapped package which she set on the table so Stiles could pick it up. He did so carefully standing up and staring at Benjamin. 

“I want you to know that we were kind to you here, because I’m sick of people dying and getting hurt, but if you ever do anything like this again, if you break your promises, if you so much as touch another Selkie’s pelt, I will personally make sure you die a slow and agonizing death.” He declared. No one laughed at the idea of a Selkie threatening a werewolf, they all knew he could do it. Stiles held eye contact for another moment, then leaned down to sign the document and left the room. 

The others took turns signing the papers. Then the documents were signed, and just like that the Arthur pack left. Shitty went upstairs to drag down the others as Derek and Scott comforted Stiles who was in a similar state to what Bitty’s was earlier.

Ransom, Holster and Lardo had barely reached the kitchen when a girl Bitty had never seen before marched into the room. She was beautiful, Bitty was gay but not blind, and the girl who had strawberry blonde hair sweeping over her shoulders and green eyes was gorgeous. She walked, in at least four inch heels, like she could kill a man. 

“What on earth is going on?!” She demanded. 

“It’s fine, Lydia, we fixed it!” Scott said, fast and nervous. So this was Lydia. She certainly looked like a force of nature.

“Yeah, and Stiles is sobbing.” She said, pulling Stiles away from a stunned Derek into a hug. 

“It really is okay.” He told her sniffling. “These are happy tears.” 

“How did you find us here?” Derek asked. “How did you even know to come?”

“You all go radio silent for almost two days and you think I won’t realize that you’re up to something stupid? As soon as I finished my last midterm I drove here, and then I asked Jackson where you were.” Lydia said, as if it should have been obvious. “Now you three are going to sit down and explain exactly what’s been going on, but first, you’re going to introduce me to these people.” She turned to Bitty and the others and she smiled warmly. 

“I’m sorry for bursting into your home, I just worry about these idiots,” she said, though she said the word idiot affectionately, “I’m Lydia Martin.” She added. 

“I’m Larrissa Duan, call me Lardo.” Lardo spoke up first. Lydia’s eyes focused on Lardo with a surprising intensity, and Bitty was stunned to see Lardo blush. Lydia offered her a hand which she shook. 

“Well, I’m glad these fools got into trouble so I could meet you.” Lydia said, and she seemed almost flustered as well. Bitty realized she was flirting and smiled a little. Shitty was staring between the two of them and grinning like a fool. 

“Anyway, this is Bitty, my selkie friend.” Stiles said, gesturing to Bitty. The tension broke and everyone was introduced. Then Lydia sat down with her pack mates and listened as they explained everything. Ransom Holster and Lardo hung around to get the details as well. Since everyone was already in his kitchen Bitty figured he’d better feed them so he started baking. Jack helped. 

By the end of the day they were basically having an impromptu party, the hockey team and the McCall pack. Bitty had his pelt back in his bag, a drink in his hand and Jack standing right next to him and he felt as happy as he ever had. Jack had promised to drive out to the ocean the next weekend, and Bitty was already looking forward to it. When Bitty emptied his cup Jack took it to refill it. Stiles sidled into the space Jack had emptied. 

“Thank you for everything.” He murmured, “Your team is pretty great.”

“So is yours.” Bitty told him. 

“Yeah, I like them.” Stiles laughed. “It worked out okay, all of this. I didn’t really think it would for a minute there.”

“It did work out alright, more than alright.” Bitty said looking over to where he could see Jack who had gotten waylaid by Malia who was talking to him animatedly. 

“Yeah, you got a husband out of the deal.” Stiles teased. Bitty laughed and shoved Stiles who laughed as well, “Okay, boyfriend. Whatever.” 

“I’m not the only one who got a partner.” Bitty said, nodding at the pair who had caught his eye. Lydia and Lardo were dancing, all wrapped up in each other. Stiles grinned. 

“I’m glad.” He said, “I’m off to find my own beau, you enjoy yours.” Stiles said, slipping away again just as Jack returned. 

Bitty grinned and leaned against his boyfriend a little, watching all his friends learn to be friends. Eric Bittle was always careful, but not with these people, he didn’t have to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay first of all, I'm normally a Shitty/Lardo shipper, but I saw an opportunity and I took it, Lardo and Lydia would be the ultimate power couple. 
> 
> Secondly, I had so much fun writing this fic! I've never written a crossover before so I hope I did alright and that it was everything LaughingCat hoped it would be. I really appreciate everyone who has read this, way to take a chance on a crazy concept, I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, please drop me a comment to let me know what you thought!


End file.
